Book excerpt: The best Venice has to offer - in your pocket. Pocket Rough Guide Venice is your essential guide to Europe's most romantic city, with stunning photography and in-depth accounts. Whether you are staying for the weekend or enjoying a short break, our itineraries help you plan your trip, and the Best of section picks out the highlights you won't want to miss - whether that means hitting the big name sights of the Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale, gliding along the canals in a gondala or escaping the crowds in one of the city's off-beat districts. Divided by neighbourhood for easy navigation, the Places section is written in Rough Guide's trademark honest and informative style, with reviews of the must-see sights and our pick of the places to eat, drink and sleep for every budget, from traditional tucked-away trattorias to stylish aperitivo bars, and from staying in a seventeenth-century palazzo to sleeping in a charming, family-run bed and breakfast.